Healthwatch Wolverhampton Annual Report 2025/26: Speaking up for better care

News - 26 June 2026

Our Annual Report 2025/26 highlights how we listened to over 4,400 people last year, supporting them to have their say to improve health and social care and to get information and advice about local services.

In our latest annual report, Speaking up for better care, we highlight some of the ways we used your feedback to help NHS and social care decision-makers prioritise the issues that matter most to local people to help make care better.

  • Addressing needs for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people using hospital services: We engaged with the Deaf community to understand the communication challenges faced within local hospitals and gathered insights from interpreters who support them. We will work with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust on the best course of action to help mitigate the issues raised. (Read the report)
  • Ensuring a joined up experience for those receiving Adult Social Care: Following community engagement to understand the types of services residents are receiving and how they work together, our report highlighted the need for clear regular communication with service users along with accessible information and support. These suggestions are being considered by Adult Social Care teams. (Read the report)
  • Reaching out to those communities whose voices may go unheard: We investigated the current state of getting audiology care for care home residents and presented our findings at the Health Scrutiny Panel. This work gave insight into local service gaps that would otherwise be overlooked and urged further work by relevant partners. (Read the report). 
  • Improving care for people through a Patient Participation Group (PPG): Following concerns raised around the lack of patient inclusion to discuss local GP practice issues and experiences, we provided guidance and support to a renewed PPG that will meet soon. 
  • Making pharmacy services more accessible: The Rowlands Pharmacy, based in New Cross Hospital responded to our Enter and View recommendations by producing an action plan to make some immediate and positive changes.
  • Improving the quality of care homes: We carried out an Enter & View visit as part of their joint working with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Care Quality Commission to support quality monitoring of residential care homes.

Healthwatch Wolverhampton projects for 2026/27

In 2026/27, we will continue to engage with communities across the city, and make sure those in power hear the views and experiences of our diverse communities. Our three priority projects for the year are:

  1. Patient experience of GP access and appointments.
  2. Strengthening Adult Social Care insight and engaging on the effectiveness of Integrated Neighbourhood Team implementation.
  3. Our future healthcare. Proposals to abolish Healthwatch presents a risk to the protection of an independent voice and feedback system. This project enables the voices of all parts of society to live long through creation of legacy artwork.

Announcing the annual report, Mandy Poonia, Co-Chair of Healthwatch Wolverhampton’s Oversight Group, said:

"Healthwatch Wolverhampton has continued to deliver value over the last year – giving people a voice, supporting them to access services, and working strategically to influence positive change. However, the changes ahead bring uncertainty. It is essential that whatever replaces or sits alongside the current model ensures the patient voice remains strong, independent, and influential. Our work has shown time and again: when we listen to communities, services improve; when we stop listening, people suffer."

Read the full report